Music History Timeline Project

By fmkenney
  • Period: 500 to 1450

    Medieval Period

    "This period in history - from the disintegration of the Roman Empire in the West during the fourth and fifth centuries to the middle of the fifteenth century and stretching to the early Renaissance...." Concise History of Western Music, p. 6
  • Period: 1025 to 1028

    Guido of Arezzo's formulation of the Solmization System

    p 46
  • Period: 1098 to 1179

    Hildegard of Bingen

    p 41
  • 1320

    Ars Nova Treatise

    Introduced "isorhythmic" notation
  • Period: 1450 to

    Renaissance Period

  • 1529

    Martin Luther Chorale - Ein feste burg (A Mighty Fortress..)

  • 1539

    Arcadelt Madrigal - Il bianco e dolce cigno

  • 1567

    Palestrina - Pope Marcellus Mass

    At the time, there was a legend that complex polyphony would be banned by the Council of Trent, but this piece caused them to reconsider.

  • Victoria - Missa O magnum mysterium

  • Giovanni Gabrieli - Sacrae Symphoniae

    St. Mark's Basilica in Venice, Sacrae Symphoniae is a large collection of motets and other sacred pieces
  • Period: to

    Baroque Period

  • Monteverdi - L'Orfeo

  • First Public Concerts in England

  • Period: to

    J. S. Bach

  • Antonio Vivaldi - L'Estro Armonico

    This was fundamental to the development of the concerto form

  • Bach - The Well-Tempered Clavier vol. 1

    This collection was written to show the viability of equal temperament, and features works in every key.

  • Rameau - Traité de l’harmonie

    This treatise brought the tonal system to Europe, establishing the twelve tone scale and demonstrating major and minor modalities.
  • Period: to

    Viennese Classical Period

  • Period: to

    Franz Joseph Haydn

  • Handel - Messiah

  • Period: to

    W. A. Mozart

  • Period: to

    Le Chevalier de Saint-Georges directs Concerts des Amateurs

    Le Chevalier de Saint-Georges is regarded as one of the most talented composer/conductor/violinists in France, leading one of the finest orchestras in Europe.

  • Mozart - Don Giovanni

  • Haydn - "Surprise" Symphony No. 94